A climate change office is being created by the Notley government to help implement the province’s strategy.

The office, announced Tuesday as cabinet was expanded to 19 members, will ensure “effective co-ordination of all aspects of implementation” of the provincial climate change strategy.

“The level of ambition that was announced by the government in November does require some support to it,” said Environment and Parks Minister Shannon Phillips. “This is a whole of government initiative — our climate leadership plan — and it requires the necessary support to get it implemented in a timely fashion.”

The office will comprise a dedicated group of staff who are already working on climate change issues within the department and will report to Phillips.

“We are clearing their decks and ensuring that they are focused on implementing this very ambitious set of policies,” said Phillips, noting it will allow them to work with other departments to bring in the necessary changes.

The climate change strategy includes an economy-wide tax on carbon, a complete phase-out of coal-fired power plants and a move to more renewable energy by 2030.

“What it means for the public is that we can get to work on making sure we are creating jobs in renewables and retrofits and all of those things as soon as possible,” Phillips said.

No additional funding is immediately being allocated to the climate change office — although Phillips said it could see targeted dollars when the carbon tax comes into effect in 2017.

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